CHRIST'S HUMAN BROTHERHOOD
By J. O. C.
THAT wonderful prayer Christ taught His disciples contains far-reaching requests. One of these which covers all the others is, "Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." Matt. 6:10. Of course, the words "in earth" do not necessarily include all people in the earth; but the thought therein expressed is that somewhere, by some people in the earth, the will of God is to be regarded as it is in the courts of glory. Whenever and wherever such condition obtains, one common cause must be cherished between earth dwellers and heaven's inhabitants. Every blessing will then and there be received from the one heavenly source, and no one will have that which is not open to every other one. A certain writer on this point has aptly said, "You can not bottle up the breezes of heaven and make them private property." Whether in heaven or on the earth, wherever the will of God is supported as most dear, there resides the household of God, the one universal family so called through and by our Lord Jesus Christ. Eph. 3:15. He is the majestic Head over all the members of this unlimited association, by reason of having "made peace through the blood of His cross" for things both in earth and in heaven, to reconcile them to Himself. Col. 1:18-20. Indeed, all power in heaven and earth was made to rest on Him, "that in all things He might have the preeminence." This precedence over angels and men was not for haughty leadership, but for brotherhood of the highest order. As the veritable and complete Redeemer of all final dwellers with the eternal Father, the Lord Jesus is fully entitled to the position of elder Brother in the great unnumbered family of God. As such, He adopts the lonely, needy ones into the Father's family on high, and leads them gently as one great flock along the heavenly way. Ps. 68:6; 107:41. It was for this purpose that He declared Himself a brother to all who do the will of His Father. Matt. 12:50. As the Preeminent One, become so by uniting with the lowly and suffering, and dying for them (Phil. 2:7-9), Christ is always touched with the feelings of human infirmity, and therefore knows just how to succor all who come to Him for sympathy and support. Heb. 2:18; 4:15. It is indeed a blessed assurance to know that when one is forsaken by the world, and even deserted by father and mother, then the Lord is able, and will take him up, to be his brother and sympathizer. Ps. 27:10. J. O. C.